“MY DEAR OLD FELLOW.—­From the day on which I met you in Colorado I’ve been trying to live after your pattern; how I succeeded on the third day, you may guess from inclosed, which is a copy of a letter I sent to Florence by you.  I’ve only just got her permission to send it to you, though I’ve teased her once a week on the subject.  God bless you, old fellow.  Don’t worry on my account, for I’m really happy.  Yours truly,

“MALLING.”

With wondering eyes Hubert Brown read the inclosure, which read as follows: 

“Miss ELSERLY—­Three days ago, while a fugitive from justice, yet honestly loving you more than I ever loved any other being, I met Hubert Brown.  He has cared for me as if I was his dearest friend; he is going to make good my financial deficiencies, and restore me to respectability.  He cannot have done this out of love for me, for he knows nothing of me but that which should make him hate me, on both personal and moral grounds.  He says he did it because he loved you, and because he wants to see you happy.  Miss Elserly, such love cannot be a thing of the past only, and it is so great that in comparison with it the best love that I have ever given you seems beneath your notice.  He is begging me to go back for your sake; he is constantly talking to me about you in a tone and with a look that shows how strong is the feeling he is sacrificing, out of sincere regard for you.  Miss Elserly, I never imagined the angels loving as purely and strongly as he does.  He tells me you still retain some regard for me; the mere thought is so great a comfort that I cannot bear to reason seriously about it; yet, if any such feelings exist, I must earnestly beg of you, out of the sincere and faithful affection I have had for you, to give up all thought of me for ever, and give yourself entirely to that most incomparable lover, Hubert Brown.

“Forgive my intrusion and advice.  I give it because the remembrance of our late relations will assure you of the honesty and earnestness of my meaning.  I excuse myself by the thought that to try to put into such noble keeping the dearest treasure that I ever possessed, is a duty which justifies my departure from any conventional rule.  I am, Miss Elserly, as ever, your worshiper.  More than this I cannot dare to think of being, after my own fall and the overpowering sense I have of the superior worth of another.  God bless you.

“ANDREW MALLING.”

Mr. Brown hastily laid the letter aside, and again called upon Miss Elserly.

Again she met him with many signs of the embarrassment whose cause he now understood so well; yet as he was about to deliver an awkward apology a single look from under Miss Elserly’s eyebrows—­only a glance, but as searching and eloquent as it was swift—­stopped his tongue.  He took Miss Elserly’s hand in his own and stammered: 

“I came to plead for the major.”

“And I shan’t listen to you,” said she, raising her eyes with so tender a light in them that Hubert Brown immediately hid the eyes themselves in his heart, lest the light should be lost.